Capsule Review: DS9 1.03 "Past Prologue"
Jul. 30th, 2013 03:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ljwritesOne-line summary: A suspicious tailor joins Dr. Bashir for lunch. It's all downhill from there.
Synopsis
Dr. Julian Bashir is excited as a puppy after Garak, the only Cardassian on the station and rumored to be a spy, approaches him at lunch. More interesting events are going on at the station than the young doctor's ego trip, however: A Bajoran terrorist who knows Kira seeks refuge at the station, pursued by angry Cardassians, and Kira goes to bat for him. Also, two disgraced Klingon sisters also come around sniffing for a comeback opportunity, meaning mucho moula.
The sisters use Garak as an intermediary to sell bomb ingredients to the terrorist, a transaction that Garak gives Bashir a booth ticket to overhear--meaning a changing booth, of course, at Garak's clothing shop. There's a great bit of mutual understanding between Commander Sisko and the Cardassian maybe-spy when Sisko orders Bashir to take the invitation, effectively establishing an informal communication channel.
When Bashir debriefs the senior officers on the upcoming transaction, Kira volunteers to go along with terrorist-guy to close the deal. Otherwise he'll chicken out, and they'll never find out his group's plan. At the rendezvous the Klingons are happy to hand over the bomb ingredient, then just as happy to sell the guy over to the Cardassians in a classic case of having their cake and eating it too.
The terrorist plan turns out to be to blow up the entrance to the wormhole in order to get rid of both the Federation and the Cardassians. (This xenophobic streak in Bajoran politics will be a major plot point later on.) In a nice character moment Sisko is willing to shoot the ship down with Kira on it once it drops out of warp, but Kira goes into shipboard-tussle mode while flooring it through the wormhole. Her terrorist buddy threatens her life to Sisko, who gives him the choice of surrendering to the Federation or the Cardassians, who have come around on the Klingon sisters' tip. For once the Cardassian penchant for prisoner hospitality turns out to be a force for good, and the failed terrorist surrenders.
Impressions
"Past Prologue" was one of the early episodes that established the color and quality of DS9 for me before a spate of mid-season episodes that left me cold or had me scratching my head.
The premise of the episode reads like an SF version of an old chestnut: Two disgraced Klingons and a Bajoran terrorist walk into a space station run by a Federation commander. Also there's this Cardassian tailor...
That's the charm of this episode, the eclectic nature of the plot that unites form with substance. That is to say, the style of the plot--characters and plans that seem completely unrelated crash together into one exciting story--is a reflection of the titular setting: a waystation where all sorts of characters and motivations collide in infinite combinations. It's like a defiant shout from the creators saying, helloooo, you don't have to travel (or dare we say, "trek") endless light-years for a great adventure!
Some elements of the Trek universe themselves create conditions for these kinds of stories that unite far-flung characters and plots. Foremost among them is the Federation's, and Starfleet's, basic stance of "open palm" rather than "closed fist." This is something I've noticed about the organizational culture, that they are really remarkably risk-tolerant by post-9/11 standards.
Starfleet's very mission statement demands this kind of openness, and by extension risk-taking. After all, Starfleet exists to seek out new life and infinite diversity, not to create a world where nothing bad ever happens. To be open to the unknown is to be open to danger; if Starfleet wants a risk-free world, the most sensible short-term policy is to nuke all intelligent life forms from orbit and take their resources. Instead they actively court these unknown new species and allow pre-warp cultures to develop according to their own inclinations, thus institutionally encouraging and increasing danger. Starfleet is the security expert's worst nightmare.
Of course, this openness also means openness to good things. The open hand can end up holding a load of dung, but it can get diamonds, too--often a mix of both. There are new dangers, new rivalries, even new wars to cope with, yes, but also new cultures, new insights, and new technologies to learn from. Starfleet as an organization accepts quite a bit of risk for the sake of the good things that come from giving the universe the benefit of the doubt.
This "open palm" stance is visible in the presence of Garak on the station: A Cardassian on a crucial strategic point for newly-liberated Bajor. Sisko's reasoned and calm stance about what may seem an unacceptable risk was an encapsulation of how Garak was allowed to remain on the station and how DS9 could stay such an open place despite sitting on the fault lines of an intergalactic geopolitical situation.
Starfleet's risk-tolerant policy doesn't mean they're foolish, however. These people are professionals who evaluate and manage risk, not trippy hippies who take the gifts of the universe as they come, man. Once they do identify potential danger the station's leadership is all over the situation: It's a pattern with Star Trek episodes, I notice, that they don't cut off opportunities or overreact to the unknown but rather remain alert and then deal with real instead of imagined dangers. This to me is security done right, a balance struck between the rewards of openness and the reality of a dangerous universe.
Garak's case reminded me of Korematsu v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld the internment of Japanese citizens during World War 2. Our Constitutional Law professor contrasted U.S. policy with British internment policy in the same period, where the Brits, rather than lock up all Germans, reviewed the individual cases to see if there were risk factors. If Britain had the resources to do that, our professor asked, could we honestly say the United States didn't?
People, Britain was the Federation, not the States. It seems fitting, since I'm kind of skeptical anyway of the U.S. being representative of humans in the Federation. Americans are a nice people and all, but their leadership has never demonstrated the ability to be realistic and moderated about risk. I mean, "war on terror?" Elevating a bunch of criminals to a legitimate target of war might be someone's idea of a proportionate response, but it sure ain't mine. Unless the U.S. underwent a sea change, Starfleet culture strikes me as more Western or Northern European.
Of course, one might argue, with the number of times ships, worlds, planetary systems, and the entire known universe came close to the brink of annihilation in the course of any given Star Trek series, one might argue that Starfleet errs on the side of danger. To which I would argue, it's not like these risks are going away just because you refuse to leave home or choose to kill/subjugate everyone who looks funny. It's still a dangerous universe, isn't it better to know what's out there rather than wait for God-knows-what to come find you? And when it comes to going out there into that big unknown, isn't it better to have friends than enemies?
Garak turns out to be a valuable friend indeed in this particular case even though his motivations and allegiances are opaque, something that intrigues me about the character. The understated cooperation between him and Sisko was a beautiful thing to behold, the delicate game of espionage played well between pros who share an understanding.
This episode also does a nice job of building up Kira's rebel past, another thread that is important throughout the season and, I imagine, the show. It's another testimony to Sisko's, and Starfleet's, openness that he goes along with her plan and accepts both the risk and the responsibility.
That trust, a calculated, mature trust with eyes wide open to the ramifications and consequences, is both the force that makes friends for the Federation and sometimes makes it vulnerable to its enemies. It's the balance the Federation's peoples have struck in a perilous universe and it paid off in this episode, and in the form of Deep Space Nine, a place where friends and enemies from across the worlds are brought together for stories in infinite and enjoyable combinations.
Synopsis
Dr. Julian Bashir is excited as a puppy after Garak, the only Cardassian on the station and rumored to be a spy, approaches him at lunch. More interesting events are going on at the station than the young doctor's ego trip, however: A Bajoran terrorist who knows Kira seeks refuge at the station, pursued by angry Cardassians, and Kira goes to bat for him. Also, two disgraced Klingon sisters also come around sniffing for a comeback opportunity, meaning mucho moula.
The sisters use Garak as an intermediary to sell bomb ingredients to the terrorist, a transaction that Garak gives Bashir a booth ticket to overhear--meaning a changing booth, of course, at Garak's clothing shop. There's a great bit of mutual understanding between Commander Sisko and the Cardassian maybe-spy when Sisko orders Bashir to take the invitation, effectively establishing an informal communication channel.
When Bashir debriefs the senior officers on the upcoming transaction, Kira volunteers to go along with terrorist-guy to close the deal. Otherwise he'll chicken out, and they'll never find out his group's plan. At the rendezvous the Klingons are happy to hand over the bomb ingredient, then just as happy to sell the guy over to the Cardassians in a classic case of having their cake and eating it too.
The terrorist plan turns out to be to blow up the entrance to the wormhole in order to get rid of both the Federation and the Cardassians. (This xenophobic streak in Bajoran politics will be a major plot point later on.) In a nice character moment Sisko is willing to shoot the ship down with Kira on it once it drops out of warp, but Kira goes into shipboard-tussle mode while flooring it through the wormhole. Her terrorist buddy threatens her life to Sisko, who gives him the choice of surrendering to the Federation or the Cardassians, who have come around on the Klingon sisters' tip. For once the Cardassian penchant for prisoner hospitality turns out to be a force for good, and the failed terrorist surrenders.
Impressions
"Past Prologue" was one of the early episodes that established the color and quality of DS9 for me before a spate of mid-season episodes that left me cold or had me scratching my head.
The premise of the episode reads like an SF version of an old chestnut: Two disgraced Klingons and a Bajoran terrorist walk into a space station run by a Federation commander. Also there's this Cardassian tailor...
That's the charm of this episode, the eclectic nature of the plot that unites form with substance. That is to say, the style of the plot--characters and plans that seem completely unrelated crash together into one exciting story--is a reflection of the titular setting: a waystation where all sorts of characters and motivations collide in infinite combinations. It's like a defiant shout from the creators saying, helloooo, you don't have to travel (or dare we say, "trek") endless light-years for a great adventure!
Some elements of the Trek universe themselves create conditions for these kinds of stories that unite far-flung characters and plots. Foremost among them is the Federation's, and Starfleet's, basic stance of "open palm" rather than "closed fist." This is something I've noticed about the organizational culture, that they are really remarkably risk-tolerant by post-9/11 standards.
Starfleet's very mission statement demands this kind of openness, and by extension risk-taking. After all, Starfleet exists to seek out new life and infinite diversity, not to create a world where nothing bad ever happens. To be open to the unknown is to be open to danger; if Starfleet wants a risk-free world, the most sensible short-term policy is to nuke all intelligent life forms from orbit and take their resources. Instead they actively court these unknown new species and allow pre-warp cultures to develop according to their own inclinations, thus institutionally encouraging and increasing danger. Starfleet is the security expert's worst nightmare.
Of course, this openness also means openness to good things. The open hand can end up holding a load of dung, but it can get diamonds, too--often a mix of both. There are new dangers, new rivalries, even new wars to cope with, yes, but also new cultures, new insights, and new technologies to learn from. Starfleet as an organization accepts quite a bit of risk for the sake of the good things that come from giving the universe the benefit of the doubt.
This "open palm" stance is visible in the presence of Garak on the station: A Cardassian on a crucial strategic point for newly-liberated Bajor. Sisko's reasoned and calm stance about what may seem an unacceptable risk was an encapsulation of how Garak was allowed to remain on the station and how DS9 could stay such an open place despite sitting on the fault lines of an intergalactic geopolitical situation.
Starfleet's risk-tolerant policy doesn't mean they're foolish, however. These people are professionals who evaluate and manage risk, not trippy hippies who take the gifts of the universe as they come, man. Once they do identify potential danger the station's leadership is all over the situation: It's a pattern with Star Trek episodes, I notice, that they don't cut off opportunities or overreact to the unknown but rather remain alert and then deal with real instead of imagined dangers. This to me is security done right, a balance struck between the rewards of openness and the reality of a dangerous universe.
Garak's case reminded me of Korematsu v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld the internment of Japanese citizens during World War 2. Our Constitutional Law professor contrasted U.S. policy with British internment policy in the same period, where the Brits, rather than lock up all Germans, reviewed the individual cases to see if there were risk factors. If Britain had the resources to do that, our professor asked, could we honestly say the United States didn't?
People, Britain was the Federation, not the States. It seems fitting, since I'm kind of skeptical anyway of the U.S. being representative of humans in the Federation. Americans are a nice people and all, but their leadership has never demonstrated the ability to be realistic and moderated about risk. I mean, "war on terror?" Elevating a bunch of criminals to a legitimate target of war might be someone's idea of a proportionate response, but it sure ain't mine. Unless the U.S. underwent a sea change, Starfleet culture strikes me as more Western or Northern European.
Of course, one might argue, with the number of times ships, worlds, planetary systems, and the entire known universe came close to the brink of annihilation in the course of any given Star Trek series, one might argue that Starfleet errs on the side of danger. To which I would argue, it's not like these risks are going away just because you refuse to leave home or choose to kill/subjugate everyone who looks funny. It's still a dangerous universe, isn't it better to know what's out there rather than wait for God-knows-what to come find you? And when it comes to going out there into that big unknown, isn't it better to have friends than enemies?
Garak turns out to be a valuable friend indeed in this particular case even though his motivations and allegiances are opaque, something that intrigues me about the character. The understated cooperation between him and Sisko was a beautiful thing to behold, the delicate game of espionage played well between pros who share an understanding.
This episode also does a nice job of building up Kira's rebel past, another thread that is important throughout the season and, I imagine, the show. It's another testimony to Sisko's, and Starfleet's, openness that he goes along with her plan and accepts both the risk and the responsibility.
That trust, a calculated, mature trust with eyes wide open to the ramifications and consequences, is both the force that makes friends for the Federation and sometimes makes it vulnerable to its enemies. It's the balance the Federation's peoples have struck in a perilous universe and it paid off in this episode, and in the form of Deep Space Nine, a place where friends and enemies from across the worlds are brought together for stories in infinite and enjoyable combinations.
